Nestlé victory and onto the banks
by Ian Duff, forests campaigner
Thanks to the huge public support generated by the street campaigning you helped make happen, Nestlé has finally agreed to source palm oil and paper without devastating Indonesia's rainforests. Now we're calling HSBC to account...
Before Greenpeace's campaign, Nestlé sourced its palm oil from Sinar Mas, one of the biggest and most destructive palm oil producers in the world. Now Nestlé have agreed to stop buying palm oil from Sinar Mas and have developed a plan that will identify companies with links to deforestation so they can be removed from their supply chain.
We'll be continuing to watch Nestle closely to make sure everything happens as it should, and if it doesn't, we'll be straight back on the case.
Change you can bank on
There are still plenty of other big corporates involved in the bad side of the palm oil and paper industries. Some, like HSBC bank, are big players in the background, busily investing in the destruction of Indonesia's rainforest, and as long as the money flows in to unscrupulous companies like Sinar Mas, the stability of the world's climate and biodiversity is at risk.
As our new campaign develops you'll be hearing from your local network coordinator about the ways you can help us stop HSBC banking on dodgy profits. Until then please tell HSBC's bosses that they can't bank on driving orang-utans to extinction.
Campaign in Action: Tar sands on the streets
As the summer approaches, Greenpeace active supporters have been out on the streets, campaigning to create a range of messages to BP, demanding they stop their investments in unconventional (or is that irresponsible) oil like tar sands.
Greenpeace is planning local events at the launch of the H2OIL film on June 15th, a national weekend of action on July 10th and 11th, and a rolling program of protests later in July.
If you would like to get involved in the Tar Sands campaign, and we do really need your help, then please get in touch with your local network coordinator via the Get Active site.
Meanwhile to send a clear message to BP staff, Greenpeace volunteers climbed BP's headquarters and projected messages at various BP refineries. There were no arrests.
Greenpeace will be celebrating the 40th Glastonbury festival in style, with hundreds of volunteers and crew building a campaigning field focused on our forest work.
If you're coming to the festival, make sure you drop by and say hello. If you'd like to volunteer at next year's festival then please get involved with your local Greenpeace network now.
Skill-shares and training events
Greenpeace organises regular introductory training events in street campaigning. Events are planned for Brighton, Northampton, London and Birmingham - dates to be confirmed.
If you are interested in taking direct action with Greenpeace you need to attend a one day NVDA training course. To attend one of these training events you need to get in contact with and be recommended by your local network coordinator.
NVDA training: Events are planned for Nottingham on June 12th, York on June 26th and London on July 10th.
London regional gathering: Greenpeace supporters (new and old) in London are invited to our annual gathering on June 12th. Contact Naz to register a place.
Political lobbying: Greenpeace is developing a new political lobbying network, and even if you are not involved with a local network, we'd like for you to be involved.
If lobbying your MP is something you would like to do on a regular basis, then please email us.
Lobbying training events are planned for London on June 5th, and potentially Birmingham and Bristol later in the year.
And finally...
We've already had some fantastic entries or our 'Behind the Logo' competition to rebrand BP, but we still want more, so please send in your ideas. Remember, the concept is more important than the exection, so don't be put off by a perceived lack of drawing skills. Take a look at our Flickr site if you need some inspiration.
So, that's it for this month. Thank you for all of your hard work helping Greenpeace campaign. It is much appreciated.
Comments